Of Trees and Roses
by storyteller1425
Summary: Just a cute one-shot about Annabeth and Percy when they were kids. AU. Review! It's my first fanfic so please be nice.


**A/N: Hey everybody! This is my first ever fanfic. I know it may seem similar to some other fics, but I seriously made this concept up on my own. I did not intend to copy ANYBODY'S work. So sorry if it seemed like it was. I hope you enjoy the story! Please review, they make my day. But I would appreciate no flames. I mean, this is my first story! Sorry if the grammar and spelling wasn't so awesome. But nontheless, maybe you'll enjoy it.**

**DISCLAIMER: I am not Rick Riordan. 'Nuff said.**

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Annabeth Chase would be considered as the average-looking five-year-old kid in kindergarten. But she wasn't the average kindergartener. Everybody in her class knew that she was very smart. She was the only student to answer all of the questions the teacher asked, and she always got good scores on the tests they took. She was the top of the class, the "know-it-all," and nobody liked her. Annabeth didn't have any friends because most of her classmates thought of her as a freak. They didn't like that she knew more than them. So they decided to exclude her from everything they did. Annabeth always ended up lonely when it came to group activities. That was, until she met Percy Jackson.

"Class, today we will be getting into groups to work on a project about the ocean," the teacher announced.

Annabeth suddenly felt sad because she knew she wouldn't be invited to be in anyone's group. This project required pairs and that meant that Annabeth would have to wait until somebody else ended up without a partner. When the whole class was paired up, there was only one person without a partner left. Annabeth mustered up all her courage to walk over and start her project with that person. Once the two sat down, she suddenly realized she had never really talked to her partner before even though it was almost halfway through the year.

"Hi I'm Percy," her partner said, while smiling at her, causing her to smile back.

Percy had black, unruly hair and piercing green eyes. His features were a contrast to Annabeth's blond hair and stormy grey eyes. Annabeth knew what type of person Percy was. He was always nice to everyone in class. You would see him talking animatedly with anybody who was in hearing range. He shared whatever he had with him and made sure that nobody was left without a part of it. Even if the two didn't know each other well, she knew for sure that Percy had a kind soul.

"I'm Annabeth," she replied. Percy nodded and began to draw on the piece of paper the teacher had given him. They began their project: drawing the ocean and the marine life in it.

Percy started to draw different kinds of fish and other creatures while Annabeth colored the landscape. His face was scrunched up in so much concentration that Annabeth couldn't help but giggle. He glanced up with a confused look in his eyes, but continued to draw anyway.

"You must have seaweed in your head if you think fish have noses," Annabeth said when Percy had drawn a dot close to the eye of a fish to show a nose. "They have gills not noses, Seaweed Brain."

Percy made a face and replied, "Don't call me that! My name is Percy."

"I can call you whatever I want to, Seaweed Brain," said Annabeth, sticking out her tongue.

"Well if you can call me that, I'll call you... Wise Girl! Yeah! Cause you're a know-it-all!" exclaimed Percy.

Annabeth's face suddenly dropped. She had thought that Percy was different from the other kids. She thought he was nice enough to not say that she was a know-it-all. Percy also noticed Annabeth's sadness when he had said that and instantly regretted it.

"Wait, no. I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you're super duper smart. Wise Girl matches you," Percy recovered, instantly making Annabeth feel better. Maybe Percy wasn't so bad.

The two then continued their project, arguing every once in a while, and making an agreement that they would be best friends. Later that day, they chose to sit under the big oak tree next to the "pretty little flowers", as Percy described them, and shared their lunches. While they ate, Percy reached over and picked a rose from the rose garden, giving it to Annabeth. She giggled and blushed as she took it, mumbling a thank you. And so it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Every day after that, the two best friends would go to their oak tree during lunch. Percy would give Annabeth a rose once every week, earning the same reaction each time. Soon enough, they even got to school early and stayed late in order to go to their oak tree. Annabeth loved their little ritual. It showed that she had finally made a friend who like her for who she was. She was always eager to meet up privately with her best friend at their special spot. She loved the feeling of friendship and knowing that Percy would be waiting for her at their special spot under the oak tree.

Then one morning, Percy wasn't waiting for her at their oak tree. All there was was a piece of paper next to the tree with a rose on top of it. Annabeth picked up the rose and read the note:

_Dear Anabeth (Wize Gurl),_

_Im sory. Momy sed we had to leev. It was so cwick I dident even hav time to say bye to yoo. I promiss to cum back to yoo wenever momy and me can cum bak. Im sory, Wize Gurl. I'll miss yoo._

_Love,_

_yor best frend Percy, Seeweed Brane_

That day, Annabeth would spend her free time sitting under their tree, staring at the note. When she had read it, she didn't shed any tears. But once school was over, she let go of everything she had held inside her. She was devastated that her best friend had left and without a proper goodbye. Someday, Percy would come back. He had promised in the note. Until then, she was going to have to cope with being the lonely know-it-all again.

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As usual, Annabeth Chase was spending her time studying after school. She was sitting under that same oak tree she had sat under for so many years. This tree brought back many memories of... _him. _Even though it had been over ten years since she had last seen her best friend, thinking of him always tore a hole in her heart. At sixteen, Annabeth was still the smartest student of the class and still nobody enjoyed her as company. She longed for Percy every day, hoping he would come back to her as he had promised.

Annabeth continued her studying, occasionally leaning back against the tree and closing her eyes just to let her thoughts drift in her head. While having her mind wander, Annabeth sensed the presence of someone standing in front of her. She knew it couldn't be a classmate who wanted to talk to her so she chose to ignore the person.

"Hey Wise Girl," a voice said softly.

Her breath caught in her throat as memories flooded into her head. The only person who had ever called her that was supposedly long gone now. _It couldn't be him, could it? _Annabeth thought. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see a boy her age smiling greatly at her. He had unruly black hair and amazing green eyes. At the moment, these eyes were shining as if they had seen the most precious treasure in the world. In Percy's opinion, he probably was seeing a precious treasure.

Annabeth stood up and continued staring into his beautiful green eyes. She didn't move, thinking that anything could break this impossible moment. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Annabeth spoke up.

"Percy..." It came out barely a whisper. She was still too shocked to speak up.

"I came back just like I promised," replied Percy, giving a small smile. He too was speaking very quietly, not believing that this was all real.

Annabeth suddenly became angry at the boy standing in front of her. "You're such a Seaweed Brain!" she yelled. "Do you know how long you made me wait for you? You made me wait over _ten years!_ You could've at least called me! You made me believe that you were gone forever! I almost gave up hoping you would come back! How could you have done this to me?" By now, she had tears streaming down her face.

All that time, Percy's face had contorted into pain. He didn't know he had made Annabeth hurt this much. He never knew she had depended on him for so long.

"Annabeth, I'm sorry. I didn't know you would worry so much about me," he said softly. His eyes reflected regret and sorrow.

"Of course I worried about you! You were my best friend!" replied Annabeth shakily.

"I'm sorry," Percy said again.

She then took a deep breath and stepped closer to him. The next thing she did shocked him. Annabeth hugged Percy. She held onto him tight, never wanting to let him go. Of course, Percy hugged her back eagerly. It was all he could think to do in this surprising situation.

"I missed you so much, Seaweed Brain. It hurt thinking you wouldn't come back," Annabeth manage to sniffle.

"I missed you a lot too. I couldn't stop thinking about you," he murmured, stroking her hair.

And so the two best friends sat under their oak tree by the rose garden, catching up on the ten years they had been away from each other. They shared laughs, sad moments, and everything in between. Their friendship was once again revived to the way it was back in kindergarten. Finally, after what seemed like the millionth time she had laughed, Annabeth took a moment to process her thoughts. She casually rested her head on Percy's shoulder as he draped an arm around her shoulders. They made it seem like they did this every day when in truth, both could feel their hearts pound vigorously against their chests. Their actions indicated a deeper relationship between the two. In truth, Annabeth knew that she was in love with the boy next to her, with his amazing green eyes and that lopsided smile that made her heart stop every time. Percy was in love with the beautiful girl next to him, with her golden hair and intense grey eyes that seemed to analyze anything within sight. Her smile made him catch his breath, its presence giving him a warm feeling inside.

When they finally looked at each other again, their eyes locked, a sort of connection passing between them. Then slowly, they simultaneously leaned in until their lips closed the gap between them. Annabeth felt a special spark from the kiss and couldn't help but smile. She felt her heart rate increase. Her lips fit perfectly against Percy's (which felt like velvet against hers) as if this was meant to be all along. The kiss didn't last long but it was still a very sweet one. Percy grinned at the girl in front of him, still feeling a little dazed from the kiss.

"That was absolutely perfect," he breathed. Annabeth smiled at that and locked her arms around his neck.

"Glad we're on the same page, Seaweed Brain," she retorted. They shared another kiss, this one longer and more passionate. When they parted from the kiss, arms still around each other, Percy reached behind him. Annabeth arched an eyebrow. He merely shook his head until he brought back his arm to reveal that he was holding something. In his hand was a bouquet of roses. She smiled as she remembered him giving her a rose every week from that same garden.

"Ten roses for the ten years I missed out with you," he said.

She blushed and giggled, just like she would have back in kindergarten. Annabeth took the roses from him and said, "You're still the same Percy I knew back then. I'm glad he's back."

"Look, Annabeth, I may have left without a choice back then, and believe me I would have chosen to stay, but I'm not going to leave now, not ever. Even if I have the choice, I will never leave you on purpose. There's no one else I'd rather be with. I...I love you, Wise Girl," he mumbled out the last part, not sure what her reaction would be with.

Annabeth's face softened. "I love you too, Seaweed Brain."

With those words in mind, Percy leaned in to kiss her, feeling a new level of energy pass between them. And so the two newfound lovers sat under their tree next to the rose garden where their friendship had first bloomed. From best friends, to boyfriend and girlfriend, to maybe something even more in the future, these two shared a love so powerful nothing would come between them again. To think they fell in love so long ago only to realize it years later, among the same presence of trees and roses.

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**A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed it. I'm sorry if the characters are OOC. I still haven't gotten the hang of writing them yet. Besides, it's AU anyway. But again, hope that doesn't affect the story as much. Thanks so much! Please review and give me your thoughts on the story. :)**

**storytella out!  
**


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